coated heads on acrylic drums?

wooderson

Junior Member
not sure if this is the best place to post this but w.e...

so thinkin bout purchasing a ludwig vistalite re-issue kit. and im just trying to get a general feeling on whether or not to use coated heads or clear heads on em.

ive never really heard coated heads on an acrylic kit. is there gunna be that much of a difference from lets say; coated pinstripes to clear pinstripes?
 
There will be the same difference as with any drums, the coated will be warmer, but in IMHO the clears will compliment the acrylic shell better..
 
There will be the same difference as with any drums, the coated will be warmer, but in IMHO the clears will compliment the acrylic shell better..

Why do you think clear will suit the acryl better, if not for visual reasons?

Logically, coated will suit acryl better because it will dampen the abundance of high overtones.
I had a vistalite and can tell you it's loud, bright and aggressive. I sold it for three times the amount I paid and am happier with wood.

If you want warmth, do NOT buy acryl. Coated heads will give some warmth back, but only so much. Some people are misled by superficious visual appearance though.
 
Well, if you want a warm sound, get a warm sounding kit. You can adjust the natural sound of the drum with tuning and head choice. I personally like the attack and sound of my clear vistalites with 2 ply clear heads.
 
I played Ludwig clear Vistalite drums for 25+ years. Not my choice of drums to record with, but great drums for stage. And clear heads look much better on 'em than coated. In your coated/clear pinstripe comparison...you can take a 12x6 piece of t-shirt fabric and roll it and tape it to the rim/drumhead and get the same (or more/less, depending on amount fabric used) "warming" of a coated head, without the "expense" of buying coated heads. And from audience view, coated heads look like coated heads. From 3 feet away, or 300 feet away. A 6" piece of rolled cotton virtually dissapears at stage distance.
 
Does anyone have specific coated heads that they've tried on an acrylic kit? I'm trying to decide between the Evans G1 and G2... the 2 would dampen even more than the 1. I like G1's on my maple kit... does this mean I should use 2's on the acrylic kit to get a similar resonance?
 
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